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international international
multilateralism. It shows that even in a fractured “its successes remind us why,
world, nations can unite around the survival of
humanity.” despite flaws and frustrations,
A Platform for Diplomacy the world still needs the united
Sometimes, the UN’s success lies not in dramatic
breakthroughs but in its role as a permanent nations.”
platform for dialogue. The General Assembly
and the Security Council bring adversaries to the
same table, keeping channels of communication
open even in times of tension. From nuclear arms
Kofi Annan • Liberia and Sierra Leone ( 000s): UN
control talks to climate negotiations, the UN
has offered neutral ground where agreements peacekeepers helped end brutal civil wars and
could be forged that might otherwise have been disarm tens of thousands of fighters.
impossible. Health and Humanitarian
• Eradication of Smallpox (1980): Coordinated
Dag Hammarskjöld, the UN’s second Secretary- by WHO (a UN agency), smallpox became the
General, summarized it best: first human disease to be eradicated.
“The United Nations was not created to take • Polio near-eradication: Massive vaccination
mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from campaigns led by WHO and UNICEF have
hell.” brought polio cases down by over 99%.
• Humanitarian relief: The UN World Food
Looking Ahead Programme (WFP), which won the 2020 Nobel Boutros Boutros Ghali
As the UN turns 80, it faces an increasingly Peace Prize, has saved millions from famine in
fractured world: great power rivalry, climate crises from Ethiopia in the 1980s to Yemen and
emergencies, and technological disruptions. Ukraine today.
Critics are right to highlight its inefficiencies and
slow response in crises. Yet, its history shows Human Rights and Law
that progress is possible when nations commit • Universal Declaration of Human Rights
to working together. (1948): A cornerstone document, inspiring
constitutions and laws worldwide.
The end of apartheid, the independence of • International Tribunals: The UN set up
Namibia, the eradication of smallpox, the courts for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia,
protection of human rights, and the defense pioneering international justice and paving the
of our planet’s environment are not small way for the International Criminal Court.
achievements—they are milestones that shaped Development and Environment
the modern world. • Sustainable Development Goals ( 015): Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
Adopted by all UN members, they provide
The challenge now is to adapt to the 21st century. a shared framework for tackling poverty,
Christiana Figueres But as history has shown, when the UN delivers, inequality, and climate change. Ban Ki-moon
it delivers in ways no other organization can. • Montreal Protocol (1987): A UN-brokered
Its successes remind us why, despite flaws and treaty that successfully phased out ozone-
frustrations, the world still needs the United depleting substances — one of the most
Dag Hammarskjöld Nations. effective environmental agreements in history.
Peace and Security
• Namibia’s independence (1990): The UN
Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) helped
oversee free elections and the peaceful transition
to independence after years of conflict.
• East Timor (1999– 00 ): The UN organized
and supervised the referendum that led to
independence from Indonesia, then administered
the territory until it became sovereign.
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